The Director of Protocol (DoP) in Edo State, Mr Osayande Aisagbon, has been redeployed to the Ministry of Culture and Diaspora Affairs following alleged embarrassment suffered by Governor Godwin Obaseki during a visit to the Palace of Oba of Benin.
Obaseki visited the Benin monarch on July 25 for royal blessings as part of his reelection campaign, but was unable to present kolanut and gin in line with the palace tradition for the royal blessing.
Obaseki, accompanied by the party’s National Campaign Chairman, Governor Nyesom Wike, were embarrassed when the monarch asked for the kolanut to offer prayers for the visitors to have a successful campaign but none could be provided.
A source in Government House, Benin, who pleaded anonymity, said: “The governor was embarrassed. It is the responsibility of the protocol department to handle such assignment, so somebody has to take responsibility.”
In a memo, the governor ordered the redeployment of the DoP over the embarrassment.
In the same memo, the redeployed DoP was replaced with Mr Mosis Obakpolor, also a staff of the Ministry of Culture and Diaspora Affairs.
It would be recalled that the campaign train also included Governors Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta; Aminu Tambuwal, Sokoto; Duoye Diri, Bayelsa; Seyi Makinde, Oyo and Bala Muhammed, Bauchi.
Others on the campaign team were Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi, National Chairman of PDP, Uche Secondus, Chairman of DAAR Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, Chief Tom Ikimi, Senator Clifford Ordia and Mr Ken Imasuagbon, among others.
